Ono ni Khalai. Awithe myaka musangyu. Erina liwe omwalhulimi lwiwe, o’Lubukusu, limanyisaya “omubuya”.
This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.
Khalai akabuka omwathulho neryo inyakania nomuthi we mintsungwe athi, “kyisi muthi wemitsungwe, kulha lhubalhuba wangathuhererya ebighuma by’emitsungwe”.
Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”
Khalai akaghenda omwabisando akayasoma. Neryo akabugha nebithi athi, “kyisi bithi, mukule, kandi muleke eryuma”
Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”
Khalai akalhaba okwa bimole “kyisi bimole, musanzulhaye neryo nangabahira omwa muthwe waghe”
Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”
Okw’Isomero, Khalai akabwira omuthi athi, “kyisi muthi iwe kulhaya emithahi minene thwangatunga ekitsutsu”
At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”
Khalai akabwira olhughuthu lw’okwisomero athi, “kyisi lhughuthu ubye namani wangaleka abandu babi erithendithwingirira.
Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”
Neryo Khalai akabya akalhwa okw’isomero akayalebaya omuthi wemitsungwe. “emitsungwe yaghu siyiriyanera kwehi?”
When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.
“Emitsungwe yikine makuke” uhmm… “ngendisyakulebya omungya muthi w’emitsungwe”. Khalai akabugha athia. “Obundi lero ukendisyabya n’omutsungwe owerire.”
“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”
